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Dark Chocolate Madeleines

Delicate Dark Chocolate Madeleines are small sponge cakes that take the shape of a shell. This chocolate version of French madeleines is rich, fluffy, and perfectly served with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Madeleines in a serving bowl

A chocolate madeleine recipe is a fun twist to the classic, which you might be more familiar with such as these Browned Butter Madeleines. A chocolate makeover makes them rich and indulgent with a hint of coffee to enhance the dark chocolate further. 

Madeleines are recognized by their distinctive shell appearance on one side. Thanks to the special pan they’re baked in called a madeleine pan, which is needed to make this recipe. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of use out of your pan since all flavors of madeleines are divine. 

Baked madeleines displayed in the pan

🍫 Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Melted dark chocolate and dutch-process cocoa powder in the batter make these rich and indulgent. 
  • Fluffy texture with crisp edging is the perfect combination between a cake and cookie. 
  • The easy method made in one bowl keeps this recipe simple. 

📋 Ingredient Notes

Overhead of ingredients needed which is plain flour, cocoa, butter, eggs, sugar, coffee, baking powder and dark chocolate

Baking Powder: Double check your baking powder hasn’t expired by checking if it’s still active with this simple test. Your chocolate madeleines will not rise and bake properly if your baking powder is out of date. 

Dutch-process cocoa powder: This chocolate madeleine recipe is rich and flavourful. You can try substituting it for natural unsweetened cocoa powder but your madeleines won’t be as chocolatey or as dark. 

Keep in mind dutch-process cocoa powder works better with baking powder and natural cocoa powder works better with baking soda. Since there is no baking soda in this recipe, I recommend sticking with the dutch-process cocoa for best results. 

Instant coffee powder: The coffee enhances the flavor of cocoa and dark chocolate. You can simply omit it if you don’t want any coffee in your madeleines. 

Eggs: Bring them to room temperature before starting the recipe. If they’re too cold straight from the refrigerator, they will not emulsify and aerate properly when whisked with the sugar.

Melted butter: Melt this first so it has time to cool down slightly until it’s warm (not hot) when you add it to the recipe. Warm melted butter blends easier in the batter. 

Melted dark chocolate block: Melt this first so it has time to cool down slightly until it’s warm (not hot) when you add it to the recipe. Adding it whilst it’s too hot, will ruin the texture of the batter. 

🥣 Step By Step Instructions

1) First, make sure to melt the butter and chocolate and set them aside to cool down slightly. They must not be hot, only warm when pouring them into the batter. 

2) In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cocoa, and coffee. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.  

Whisking the dry flour ingredients together

3) In a large mixing bowl, add eggs and sugar. Using a whisk (not an electric whisk), whisk together vigorously for 2 minutes until pale and thick. 

Whisking the eggs and sugar until pale and frothy

4) Add the flour/cocoa mixture in two batches, gently folding with a spatula until incorporated and no lumps of flour remain. Ensuring not to over-mix as you don’t want to deflate the whisked eggs and lose air. 

Adding the dry ingredients into the whisked eggs

5) Pour in cooled melted butter and melted chocolate. Gently fold and mix until incorporated, ensuring not to over-mix. It will be a thick fudgy batter.

Pouring the melted butter and chocolate into the mixture

6) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Batter ready to be refrigerated for 30 minutes

7) To prepare madeleine pan: brush a light layer of melted butter into each madeleine mold. Ensure no excess butter “pools” in the molds.  

Greasing the madeleine pan with melted butter

8) Lightly dust a layer of cocoa powder into each madeleine mold. Tap the pan into the kitchen sink to remove any excess powder.

Dusting the madeleine pan with cocoa powder

9) Spoon one level tablespoon of batter into the middle of each madeleine mold. Leaving the batter untouched, it will spread out into the wells during baking. 

10) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until madeleines spring back when lightly pressed in the middle and they have a small dome in the middle. 

Spooning the batter into the madeleine molds

11) Carefully remove each madeleine using your hands as they should slip right out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. 

Madeleines straight out of the oven

💭 Tips

  • The melted butter and melted chocolate must not be hot when adding them into the mixture. I suggest melting them first before starting the recipe so they have enough time to become warm. On the flip side, ensure they don’t start to firm up again.
  • Ensure your eggs are at room temperature before starting the recipe. If the eggs are too cold, they will not aerate and emulsify with the sugar properly. 
  • Fold the flour mixture gently into the whisked eggs. You do not want to deflate them and lose that air you just incorporated into your eggs. 
  • Don’t over-mix the batter after pouring in the melted butter and chocolate, only until it’s incorporated. The consistency will be fudgy and thick. Over-mixing will result in dense madeleines. 
Bite taken out of one madeleine to show the fluffy inside

💬 FAQ’s

Are madeleines a cake or cookie?

Madeleines are small sponge cakes often referred to as cookies because you pick them up to eat. However, their texture is similar to a sponge cake. 

Can you make madeleines without a madeleine pan?

I highly recommend you get your hands on a non-stick madeleine pan to make homemade madeleines. The size and volume that each mold in the pan holds is the perfect ratio for a madeleine. If you try to use a mini or regular muffin/cupcake pan, I cannot guarantee how they will turn out. 

This is the madeleine pan I use. I strongly suggest you use a non-stick madeleine pan. This recipe is so delicious, you won’t just use your pan once!

How long do these madeleines keep?

Homemade madeleines will keep for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in a dry dark pantry. They are however best served the day they’re baked as they will dry out and lose their moisture. 

How do you reheat these chocolate madeleines?

Homemade madeleines are best served on the same day they’re baked. They will dry out over the next few days but you can reheat them in a pre-heated oven at 170ºC (340ºF) for 5-10 minutes until they’re warmed through. Or pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute until they’re warmed through.

They won’t be as fresh and fluffy as when you first baked them but they’ll still be delicious and you can dip them into your tea or coffee. 

Close up image if baked madeleines dusted with cocoa powder

🥄 Related Recipes

Dark Chocolate Madeleines in a bowl

Dark Chocolate Madeleine Recipe

Samantha Pickthall
Delicate Dark Chocolate Madeleines are small sponge cakes that take the shape of a shell. This chocolate version of French madeleines is rich, fluffy, and perfectly served with a cup of tea or coffee. 
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine French
Servings 24 madeleines
Calories 107 kcal

Equipment

  • 12 hole non-stick madeleine pan
  • Pastry brush

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup plain all purpose flour scoop & leveled
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 Tbsp dutch process cocoa powder plus 1/2 tablespoon extra to flour the pan
  • 1/2 tsp powdered instant coffee
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature (each weighing approx. 55g-60g in shell)
  • 2/3 cup golden or white granulated sugar
  • 110 g unsalted butter melted & cooled for 10min, plus 1 melted tablespoon extra to grease the pan
  • 100 g plain dark chocolate block melted & cooled for 10 minutes

Instructions
 

Batter

  • First, make sure to melt the butter and chocolate and set them aside to cool down slightly. They must not be hot, only warm when adding them in step 6.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cocoa, and coffee. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add room temperature eggs and sugar. Using a whisk (not an electric whisk), whisk together vigorously for 2 minutes until pale and thick.
  • Add half the flour/cocoa mixture to the whisked eggs. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined.
  • Add remaining flour/cocoa mixture and fold until incorporated and no lumps of flour remain. Ensuring not to over-mix as you don’t want to deflate the whisked eggs and lose air.
  • Pour in cooled melted butter and melted chocolate. Gently fold and mix until incorporated, ensuring not to over-mix. It will be a thick fudgy batter.
  • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180ºC fan-forced (356ºF fan-forced) to heat up whilst the batter chills.

Prepare Madeleine Pan

  • To prepare madeleine pan: Take a pastry brush and 1 tablespoon of extra melted butter and brush a light layer into each madeleine mold. Ensure no excess butter “pools” in the molds.
  • Add the extra 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder into a fine-mesh sieve or small mesh tea ball (refer to above process images).
  • Lightly dust a layer of cocoa into each madeleine mold.
  • Tap out the excess cocoa into the kitchen sink by turning it over and tapping the sides of the pan a few times to remove excess powder.

Fill the molds

  • Remove batter from the refrigerator.
  • Spoon one level tablespoon of batter into the middle of each madeleine mold. Leaving the batter untouched, it will spread out into the wells during baking.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until madeleines spring back when lightly pressed in the middle and they have a small dome in the middle.
  • Remove and cool in pan for 2 minutes.
  • Carefully remove each madeleine using your hands as they should slip right out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Dust over a little cocoa powder if desired whilst they’re cooling.
  • To bake the remaining batter, wait until the madeleine pan has cooled down to room temperature.
  • Fill the molds with the batter repeating the above method, there is no need to grease or dust the pan again as there will be excess butter and cocoa remaining.
  • TIP: if your madeleine pan is not non-stick, I would recommend greasing and dusting it again for your next batch.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

The melted butter and melted chocolate must not be hot when adding them into the mixture. I suggest you melt them first before starting the recipe so they have enough time to become warm. On the flip side, ensure they don’t start to firm up again.
Ensure your eggs are at room temperature before starting the recipe. If the eggs are too cold, they will not aerate and emulsify with the sugar properly. 
Fold the flour mixture gently into the whisked eggs. You do not want to deflate them and lose that air you just incorporated into eggs. 
Don’t over-mix the batter after pouring in the melted butter and chocolate, only until it’s incorporated. The consistency will be fudgy and thick. Over-mixing will result in dense madeleines. 
Store madeleines in an airtight container, in a dry dark pantry, for 2-3 days. Best enjoyed freshly baked as they dry out over the next few days.
Freeze madeleines by wrapping each individually in either parchment paper or foil. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. 
Thaw madeleines by sitting them on the kitchen counter to completely thaw. You can warm them up again in a moderate oven or microwave until warmed through. 

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 10mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 146IUCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Keyword dark chocolate, easy, one bowl
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